We all know and love the original Honda NSX, but you mightn’t be so familiar with the prototype which spawned the idea that led to its creation. Now, 40 years after Honda first signalled its intent to bring a mid-engine supercar to market, the brand’s first concept car is back on show.
Penned by legendary Italian design studio Pininfarina, the HP-X Concept was first shown in 1984 at the Turin Auto Show, with its wedge-shape styling the perfect encapsulation of what made ’80s cars so unmistakeable.
Forget doors – this thing has a one-piece fighter jet-style Perspex canopy. Exotic materials? Carbon fibre, Kevlar, and honeycomb panels aplenty. Special engine? You bet it is, because its 2.0-litre V6 is derived from one of Honda’s Formula 2 race engines.
Since its Italian debut, however, the HP-X has been kept tucked away safely until now. Amazingly, 40 years on, it’s about to be brought to North America for the first time to be put on display at the 73rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this Sunday, August 18.
Above: The Honda HP-X Concept on display at the 1984 Turin Auto Show
Having undergone an extensive restoration including a full respray, the HP-X is poised to be the first Japanese entrant to the event in more than 50 years, although the Italian influence on its design is undeniable.
The HP-X itself may have never made it to production, but the technological, aerodynamic, and engineering principles that went into its design did trickle down to Honda’s production models – most obviously and unsurprisingly, the NSX.
“The Honda HP-X is an ideal example of Pininfarina’s unique ability to present innovative ideas through concept cars that set future trends,” says Felix Kilbertus, chief creative officer at Pininfarina.
“Its influence on subsequent Honda models and the broader automotive landscape is undeniable. It stands as a testament to both Honda’s and Pininfarina’s innovative spirit.”
When it graces the greens of the Pebble Beach Golf Links this Sunday, the Honda HP-X will be competing in the ‘Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes’ class at the Concours d’Elegance event.
The crown jewel of Monterey Car Week, this event sees some of the best-kept low-production and one-off cars rolled out to compete for a number of awards, although none more prestigious than the Best of Show award which was most recently taken by a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster.
